Game apparatus.



J. R. TERGY.

GAMEv APPARATUS; APPLICATION FILED PIE-13.9, 1910.

Patented Dec. 6.1910.

Witmaoou if Q EETQE.

JOHN R. TERCY, OF KANOPOLIS, KANSAS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

Application filed February 9, 1810. Serial No. 542,892.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, JOHN R. TERCY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kanopolis, in the county of Ellsworth and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to amusement devices which are designed to be both entertaining and instructive, and its object is to provide a game which shall represent the difficulties which beset the explorer who attempts to reach the North Pole, the game being accordingly designated Arctic Circle game.

The apparatus comprises a diagram containing a map or representation of the arctic region centering about the North Pole, and including the portion of the Northern Hemisphere down to the fiftieth parallel. In actual construction the map is intended to accurately represent the lands, seas, islands, rivers, mountains, and valleys, and preferably 1n colors after the manner of the usual geographical map. I also indicate the icebergs, the various discoveries, and the different species of animal life of the arctic region. A series of concentric circles indicate the parallels of latitude, while radial lines mark the meridians of longitude. At the intersections of the circular and radial lines, small circles or spots indicate the positions for the several movable counters used in playing the game. The diagram centers about the pole, and is divided into quarter sections by the ninety degree meridians marked respectively Meridian and Equator.

The game constituting my present invention will be understood from the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 illustrates counters which may be used in playing the game.

The diagram may be placed upon a board, cloth, or other suitable material which may be laid fiat and supported upon a table or other object.

The game may be played with two or four sets of counters, each set comprising preferably five separate orders of counters which designate respectively an explorer, an Eskimo, dogs, boats and sledges. I construct the counters to indicate in some manner the characters which they represent, as

by making them of difierent colors or with different markings as indicated in Fig. 2, the first three orders being made reversible so that they may be reversed during the progress of the game for the purpose hereinafter described. I prefer to arrange each set to include one explorer, two Eskimos, fifteen dogs, one boat, and one sledge. These may occupy initial positions upon the diagram as indicated in the lower left-hand quarter section respectively designated by the characters, Em, Es, D, B, and S, covering the twenty spots or circles at the intersections described by the fiftieth to the sixty-fifth parallels and the fifteenth to the seventyfifth meridians, the explorer occupying the spot on parallel fifty and meridian fortyfive.

The counters are to be moved after the manner of checkers, except that they are moved along the lines from one spot to another. An opponents counters are captured after the manner of checkers by jumping over the one captured, but with certain modifications or exceptions as follows :-An explorer can capture any counter upon the board but can be captured only by a rival explorer; an Eskimo can capture anything upon the board except the explorers; dogs can capture only dogs, but may be used in blocking or hemming in anything upon the board; boats and sledges being neutral, have no power to capture but may be used in forming blockade. All counters may be moved to the right or left along the circular lines, and toward the center of the diagram or pole along the radial lines, while only boats or sledges may be moved outwardly or away from the pole along the radial lines.

In designing the game I have purposed that the dog counters should only be per mitted to move as far as the 87th parallel, and that upon reaching this limit their reverse side should be turned uppermost, being preferably of a different color, and they should then be permitted to move ad ZiMtum below the 87th parallel.

Eskimos may accompany the explorer to the 89th parallel and at this limit are reversed to expose a different color and then move at will below the 89th parallel. Only an explorer may reach the pole and upon arriving there is reversed to expose a dilterent color and may then travel at pleasure over the entire board.

It will be observed that certain portions of the radial and circular lines are dotted, indicating water-ways upon the circular lines and sledge-ways upon the radial lines. The water-ways can only be crossed by the boats and the sledge-ways by the sledges and dogs. It will be understood that the sledge must be used whenever the explorers, Eskimos, and boats are to be transported along the dotted paths on the radial lines, while the boat must be resorted to whenever the explorers, Eskimos, dogs, or sledges are to be transported along the dotted circular lines indicating water-ways. Thus, should a player wish to transport an explorer, Eskimo, dog, or sledge across a dotted space on any circular line, the boat must be brought to the place of crossing by regular moves, from spot to spot along the lines, the same as other counters, and then the explorer or other counter to be transported must be brought to the same place of crossing in the same manner. The explorer or other counter is placed aboard in the same manner as crowning is done in checkers and the two counters are then moved by the player in his next regular move. Upon reaching the opposite side of the water-way, the passenger leaves the boat and again pro ceeds alone in the usual manner. The sledge is used in a similar manner in transporting across the dotted radial lines or sledgeways.

Vhile the boat is not absolutely essential in playing the game, and the sledge is only indispensable in crossing from the 85th to the 87th parallel, as will be apparent from the above description, yet the boat and sledge may be used to advantage by the skilful player, throughout the game.

The game board or diagram is divided into quarters by the lines marked respectively Equator and Meridian at right angles. The game may be played single handed by two, three, or four persons, and with partners by four, six, or eight persons.

Upon examining the diagram in detail, it

will be observed that the concentric circles are regular from the outside inwardly to the one indicating the th parallel, that short portions or arcs of the th parallel are indicated, and that the 87th and 89th parallels are shown as complete circles. All of the radial lines indicating the meridians are complete from the outer circle to the 75th parallel, while certain of the radial lines continue to the 80th parallel and a few extend to the th parallel. The lines indicating paths for the counters between the 80th and 89th parallels are diagonal lines and therefore do not conform to the radial lines indicating the meridians. It will be noted that all of the lines connecting spots on the 85th parallel with those on the 87th are dotted and therefore indicate sledgeways. It will be further observed that certain of the radial lines terminate blindly at the 85th parallel, the path leading thereto having no outlet toward the pole.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the arrangement of the lines of the diagram and also in the manner of pla ing the game without departing from the spirit of my invention, and that such changes will be included within the scope of my claims.

I prefer to compute the relative standing of the players at the close of the game in the following manner: Each player is awarded his count according to the valuation of the counters he has captured plus the value attributed to the spot on which his explorer rests, thus the spot at the intersection of meridian 15 and parallel 60 is given the value of 75 points. An explorer is estimated at 50, an Eskimo at 25, and a dog at 5. The boats and sledges are not removed from the game board when they are captured, but are transferred to the quarter of the board representing territory belonging to the captor, and become his property to be used as he may choose. The act of reaching the pole counts 300 points and returning to the point of starting is reckoned at 200 points additional. The first explorer to reach the pole is declared the winner, the second, third, and fourth places being determined by the above described schedule of points. In the event, however, that none of the explorers reach the pole, then the winner of the game must be determined by the schedule of points.

l/Vhile I prefer that the method of playing and of counting the game should be as I have previously described, yet it is obvious that other methods may be devised Without in any manner departing from my invention.

Having now described the construction of the game constituting my invention and the method of using the same, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Game apparatus having delineated upon the surface thereof a map of the upper portion of a hemisphere of the earth centering about the pole and having concentric circles intersected by radial lines, portions of said circles and said radial lines being dotted to indicate water-ways and sledgeways respectively, and movable counters to be moved over the lines and circles.

2. Game apparatus having delineated upon its surface a map representing the arctic region centering about the pole and having concentric circles indicating the parallels of latitude and radial lines indicating the meridians of longitude, portions of said circles and of said radial lines being dotted to represent water-ways and sledge-ways respectively, said radial lines terminating at a distance from the center or pole and being connected with a circle near the pole by diagonal dotted lines indicating sledgeways.

3. Game apparatus having delineated upon its surface a map representing the arctic region centering about the pole and having concentric circles indicating the par allels of latitude and radial lines indicating the meridians of longitude, portions of said circles and of said radial lines being dotted to represent water-Ways and sledge-ways respectively, said radial lines terminating at a distance from the center or pole and being connected with a circle near the pole by diagonal dotted lines indicating sledgeways, and movable counters adapted to be moved along said lines and circles, said counters bearing difierent indications to represent explorers, Eskimos, dogs, sledges, and boats.

at. Game apparatus having delineated upon its surface a map representing the arctic region and portions of the Northern Hemisphere, and having concentric circles representing parallels of latitude and radial lines representing meridians of longitude, said radial lines terminating at a distance from the center or pole of the map and diagonal lines connecting certain of said radial lines with a circle near the pole and other of said radial linesbeing unconnected.

5. Game apparatus having delineated upon its surface a map representing the portions of the hemisphere centering about the North Pole, and having concentric circles representing parallels of latitude and radial lines representing meridians of longitude, said radial lines terminating at a distance from the pole, said circles and said lines having dotted portions to indicate waterways and sledge-ways respectively, diagonal dotted lines indicating sledge-ways connecting certain of said radial lines with a circle nearer the pole, and counters adapted to move over said lines and circles, said counters having character indications representing respectively explorers, Eskimos, dogs, boats, and sledges.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN R. TERGY.

WVitnesses:

A. E. STURGIS, C. E. J. SCHUMAOHER. 

